Trace-fastener.



Patented Dec. l2, 1899b. H. M. BENSHOFF & A. J. GAIRING.

TRACE FASTENER.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1899.) (No Model.)

NIED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HARRY M. BENSHOFF AND ALFRED J. GAIRING, OF JOHNSTOVVN, PENN- f SYLVANIA.

TRACE-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,136, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed October 14,1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY M. BENSHOFF and ALFRED J. GAIRING,citizens of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Trace-Fasteners; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in trace-fasteners.

The object of the invention is to provide device of the character stated which is adapted to be applied to theend of a whiflietree for the purpose of maintaining thereon the end of a trace and without employing strips of leather or other similar fastening means, as has heretoforecommonlybeen the case.

Afurther object of the invention is to providea trace-fastener which is formed of a single piece of wire and so constructed as to be engaged with and disengaged from the whiffietree in an expeditious manner and when engaged with the whiffletree to afford efficient means for preventing any movement whatever of the trace thereon.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consists substantially in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a whiffletree and a trace carried thereby, the former having a fastener applied thereto constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, of the fastener detached. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fastener.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a portion of a whiffletree having a trace 2 applied to its end in the usual manher, and 3 designates a fastener for the trace, which fastener is formed of a single piece of wire or equivalent material. The fastener 3,

which, as just stated, is formed of a single cent to the coils 8.

Serial No. 733,669. (No model.)

piece of wire, is bent at its middle portion to provide a pair of parallel spaced arms 4:, the latter forming a guard-loop 5, which embraces the extremity of the end of the whiffletree 1, and said arms lie above and below the upper and lower sides, respectively, of the whiffietree, as is clearly seen in the drawings.

It will be noted that each of the arms l is coiled at its free end to provide a ring 6, which rings lie in superimposed relation, and

said rings are connected by the vertically-extending middle portion of the wire, as at 7, thereby forming a finger-loop adapted to be grasped for manipulating the guard-loop.

The portion 7 moreover, is adapted to readily slide over. the extremity of the whiiiletree when the fastener is engagedfiwith the latter, i

as will more fully appear hereinafter.

Each ofrthe arms 4: at its end which projects in front of the whiflietree l is coiled, as

at 8, in order to impartresiliency to the guardloop 5. perimposed relation, and passing through said coils is a contact-pin 9, the latter being so cured in the coils S in any suitable manner. The contact-pin 9 is adapted to abut against the front edge of the whiifletree 1 when the guard-loop 5 is engaged therewith, and said pin thereby limitsthe rearward movement of the fastener and also provides means for .maintaining the coils 8 in proper relation to each other.

Projecting from each of the coils 8 and at substantially an acute angle to the guardloop 5 is an attaching-arm 10, said arms lying parallel with each other and terminating in eyes 11, through which passes a pin 12, or its equivalent, for pivoting the attaching-arms to the whiffletree, and the fastener is thereby secured to the whiffletree, but capable of swinging thereon. By reason of the coils 8 it will be seen that the attaching-arms 10 lie in planes different from the arms 4, and in order that the free ends of said arms 10 may lie approximately close to the whiffletree 1 said arms are provided with oppositely-disposed offsets 13, through the medium of which ofisets 13 a receiving-loop 14 is formed adja- Through this loop 14 the trace is passed, the loop thereby encircling the trace.

The coils 8 are also arranged in su The manner of operating the herein-de- -scribed fastener is as follows: The fastener being in the position shown in Fig. 1, to disengage the same it is simply necessary to grasp the rear end of the trace, and by exerting an outward pressure thereon such pressure is transmitted to the finger-loop of the fastener, and the guard-loop 5 is thereby pressed outwardly and freed from engagement With the Whiffletree, the fastener swinging on the pivot 12. hen, however, it is desired to secure the trace to the whiffletree, the former is placed upon the latter, and by applying pressure to the fastener the guard-loop 5 is forced over the end of the Whifi'letree in an obvious manner, the resilient nature of the guard-loop permitting the latter to spring into secured position immediately upon the vertically-disposed portion, which connects the rings, passing around the end of the whiffletree to the necessary extent.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1'. A trace-fastener, comprising a pair of attaching-arms provided with a trace-receiving loop, the latter encircling the trace, and a resilient guard-loop carried by said arms and adapted to be sprung into engagement with the whiffletree.

'2. A trace-fastener, comprising a pair of attaching-arms adapted to be pivotally secured to awhiffletree,a guard-loop carried by said arms, and coils intermediate said guard-loop and the attaching-arms for imparting resiliency to the former, whereby the guard-loop is adapted to be sprung into engagement with the w'hiffletree.

3. A trace-fastener, comprising a pair of attaching-arms adapted to be pivotally secured to a Whiflletree and provided with offsets forminga trace-receiving loop, a guardloop carried by said arms, and coils intermediate said guard-loop and the attaching-arms for imparting resiliency to the former, whereby the guard-loop is adapted to be sprung into engagement with the whiffletree.

4. A trace-fastener, comprising a pair of attaching-arms adapted to be pivotally secured to a whiflletree and provided with 0&- sets forming a trace-receiving loop, a guardloop carried by said arms, a finger-loop carried by said guard-loop, and coils intermediate the guard-loop and the attaching-arms for imparting resiliency to the former, Whereby the guard-loop is adapted to be sprung into engagement with the whiffletree.

5'. A trace-fastener, comprising a pair of attaching-arms adapted to be pivotally secured to a Whiflietree and provided with offsets forming a trace-receiving loop, a guardloop carried by said arms, a finger-loop carried by said guard-loop, coils intermediate the guard-loop and the attaching-arms for imparting resiliency to the former, whereby the guard-loop is adapted to be sprung into engagement with the whiffletree, and a contact-pin arranged in said coils.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY MJBENSHOFF. A. J. GAIRING.

Witnesses: I

GEO. .II. PARMELEE, I-I. W. SMITH. 

